Auffällig unauffällig?

The Ruhr region is undergoing constant economic structural change. This study sheds light on the political attitudes and perceptions of the people in the Ruhr region and explores the question of whether so-called ‘disconnected regions’ are particularly susceptible to sociopolitical apathy and dissatisfaction. The study not only traces social dynamics in socio-spatial terms and relates them to political and media contexts, but also elaborates the building blocks of a transformation strategy promoting social cohesion, towards a new social contract.
The picture that emerges is of a strikingly resilient region. Alongside comparably deindustrialised areas, the Ruhr region is thus an absolutely unique case.

With contributions by
Fabian Beckmann, Matthias Diermeir, Rolf Heinze, Bodo Hombach, Michael Hüther, Armin Mertens, Judith Niehues, Vincent Schipping, Anna-Lena Schönauer, Ruth Schüler and Vanessa Wolters.